Inside a quiet manor on the outskirts of Cherrywood.
Natalie sat in the living room, waiting.
The room was spacious yet modestly decorated. Dark wooden furniture filled the space, and tall windows allowed pale afternoon light to spill across the polished floor. A fireplace stood quietly along one wall, its embers faint but warm. Oil paintings of landscapes hung neatly above carved wooden panels, giving the room a calm and dignified atmosphere.
Natalie sat upright on one of the long sofas.
She was wearing a linen shirt paired with black slacks and a long black coat draped over her shoulders. Her hair was tied back neatly, revealing her sharp features.
Her demeanor was firm and composed.
Even the servants moving quietly around the room seemed to feel the weight of her presence.
It had been four days since the gathering.
Four days since she had learned about the Acting Method.
Natalie had tried it.
The effects were subtle, but noticeable.
By provoking people more deliberately during conversations and small conflicts, she could feel the chaotic impulses in her mind calming slightly.
Her madness seemed to be stabilizing.
But there was still a problem.
She still had no clear idea how to truly act as a Pyromaniac.
What exactly am I supposed to do… act like a maniac and burn everything?
That clearly didn't seem right.
Right now she was waiting to meet her associate and employer.
Madam Catherine Webbers.
Despite knowing Catherine for years, Natalie still considered her a mystery.
A maid approached and gave a respectful curtsy.
"Madam Webbers will now see you."
Natalie stood up calmly and followed the maid.
They walked through a long hallway.
The corridor was luxurious yet restrained. Soft carpets covered the floor, and elegant lamps illuminated the walls. Antique vases and framed paintings were placed along the passage, giving the manor an old aristocratic charm.
The maid stopped before a wooden door and knocked gently.
"Madam, Miss Rogers has arrived."
"Come in," a woman's voice answered from inside.
The maid opened the door.
Natalie stepped inside the study.
The study room itself was elegant.
Dark wooden furnishings dominated the space. Tall bookshelves lined the walls, filled with thick volumes and documents. Several antique objects rested on display shelves, and framed paintings hung neatly between the bookcases.
Behind the large desk sat a woman.
Catherine Webbers.
She appeared to be around forty.
She had light blue eyes and sharp yet graceful features. A few faint age lines gave her face a mature elegance. Her black hair was tied into a simple bun, though a few strands had escaped and rested softly along her cheeks.
She wore a conservative dark purple dress that concealed most of her figure, though it was clear she maintained herself well.
Natalie was once again slightly surprised by the presence Catherine carried.
She knew Catherine was a Beyonder, but she had never been told her sequence.
Catherine looked up from the documents on her desk and smiled faintly.
"Miss Rogers. I wasn't expecting you this early."
"You look well."
She gestured toward the chair in front of the desk.
Natalie nodded and walked over before sitting down.
Catherine opened a drawer in her desk and took out a cigarette, placing it elegantly between her lips.
Seeing this, Natalie reached into her coat and pulled out a lighter.
She flicked it open.
A small flame burst to life.
Catherine leaned forward slightly, allowing Natalie to light the cigarette.
The flame reflected briefly in Catherine's blue eyes.
Natalie closed the lighter as Catherine inhaled slowly.
A thin stream of smoke drifted into the quiet room.
Catherine leaned back in her chair and exhaled calmly.
She didn't mind Natalie smoking.
After all, Natalie herself was a far heavier smoker.
Natalie waited a moment before beginning her report.
She summarized the events of the past weeks.
The development of the Beyonder gathering.
The transactions.
The participants.
And several other matters related to their work.
Several minutes passed as the two women discussed various topics.
Finally, Catherine asked,
"How is the gathering going?"
"It's going well," Natalie replied.
Then she continued.
"Do you remember what you asked me two weeks ago?"
"Mm? Ah… yes."
Catherine's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Did you find someone?"
Natalie thought for a moment.
"I have someone in mind."
"He is young and fits your… preferences."
"And he is also a Beyonder."
Catherine raised an eyebrow with interest.
Natalie continued.
"But he is different."
"I met him during the gathering. He seemed extremely knowledgeable about the mystic world."
"He was also the one who told me about the Acting Method… something you were unable to explain to me for some reason."
Catherine's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh?"
"Is that so?"
Natalie nodded.
"He will likely attend the next gathering."
"I plan to talk to him about… it."
Catherine leaned back slowly.
"Will he be willing?"
Natalie thought for a moment.
"My Spectator friend mentioned that he might be attracted to strong and older women."
Catherine brought her fingers together and rested them against her chin thoughtfully.
"What's his name… and sequence?"
"He said his name was Jace Liebert."
"He is a Sequence 9 from the Seer pathway."
---
Catherine sat alone in the study room.
Natalie had already left.
She slowly pressed a small bell on her desk.
Moments later, the door opened.
"Yes, madam?" her assistant Susan entered.
"Find what you can about a young man named Jace Liebert."
"Yes, madam."
---
It was evening.
Jace was walking toward his apartment after finishing work at the library.
During these past four days, he had been acting as a Seer quite vigorously.
After the gathering, he felt extremely motivated to digest his potion.
He had started divining almost everything he could.
Small matters.
Coincidences.
People he met.
He had also begun giving advice to others whenever his divinations revealed something useful.
At first, people were surprised.
Jace had always been quiet and rarely initiated conversations.
But he continued doing it anyway.
"Jace!"
A voice suddenly called out.
Jace turned around.
Nathan was jogging toward him.
Jace smiled slightly.
He had already divined that he would meet Nathan today.
So he wasn't surprised.
"Hey," Jace said as Nathan approached.
"Hey," Nathan replied with a grin.
Nathan casually placed his arm over Jace's shoulder.
"So… remember when I told you about that waiting gig at a party?"
He grinned wider.
"Well… you still interested ?"